The latest report, the State of Global Air, revealed that the toxic air’s negative impact is evident, it is able to short lives of the resent children by 20 months. As The Guardian reported, the link between air pollution and poor health is stronger than they thought before.
Toxic air and the problem of air pollution is increasing concern across the planet, say the ecologists. Multiple studies prove that quality of air linked the health. In other words, exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution is almost as dangerous as smoking. The experts from the Health Effects Institute (HEI) emphasize that the toxic air is reducing life expectancy by an average of 20 months.
The toxic air could cause many diseases, from dementia to miscarriage, and it has been described as a global emergency by the State of Global Air report. The figures show that low-quality air will cut the life expectancy of a baby born today by an average of 20 months, compared to a 21-month fall in life expectancy in a smoker. In our reality, to breath air is more dangerous than to smoke cigarettes.
The World Health Organization reiterates in its annual reports that air pollution contributed to nearly five million deaths from stroke, heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer and chronic lung disease.
Countries with the most polluted air: the number is growing
Children born in the most polluted countries of the world – Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan – face the greatest threat from air pollution. Babies born here face lost life of around two years and six months, the report found.
“That the life of children is being shortened so much came as really quite a shock,” said Robert O’Keefe, the VP of the HEI and added the governments should take certain and in time action. According to Mr O’Keefe, those measures to take included investing in electric vehicles and green energy. No need to note that continuing investing in old-fashioned coal-fired power could “lock-in” air pollution for years to come.
